What's wrong with my explanation?

• Did you merely restate your conclusion? That's not enough! I need to know how you reached that conclusion.
• Did you merely restate your confidence? That's not enough! I need to know how you achieved that confidence.
• Did you merely confess you uncertainty? That's not enough! Tell me what you were thinking about and which parts were fuzzy.

What can go wrong on a benchmark assessment?

• Vocabulary Problems: If you don't know the difference between "radiated" and "radioactive", you may go in the wrong direction!
• Math Problems: If you multiply 8 and 7 and get something other than 56, you may go in the wrong direction!
• Logic Problems: If you know that energy can never be created, but think that nuclear energy can be created, you may go in the wrong direction!
• Conceptual Problems: If you think that all matter is made of earth, wind, and fire, instead of atoms, you may go in the wrong direction!
• Reading Comprehension Problems: If you miss important words like not, you may go in the wrong direction!
• Gap Problems: If you miss a lesson, and fail to make it up in some way, you may go in the wrong direction!
• Courage Problems: If you have some ideas in your head, but are too worried to share them, you will never make it anywhere interesting!